I've sat through exactly 17 interviews this month where hiring managers asked candidates about AVE. Advertising Value Equivalency. In 2026! Christ on a bike.
The world of PR has transformed beyond recognition since I started running campaigns 12 years ago. Yet when it comes to evaluating PR talent, most hiring managers are stuck in 2016 - obsessing over metrics that died years ago and overlooking the skills that actually matter now.
The Old Measurement Playbook Is Dead
Look, I get it. Measurability feels safe. It's why we clung to press clippings, then AVEs, then social shares. But these metrics were always more about justifying our existence than actually demonstrating value.
The truth? Those outdated yardsticks are actively sabotaging your hiring process. You're selecting candidates who excel at vanity metrics while missing the strategists who could transform your communication outcomes.
And don't get me started on the "coverage achieved" section of CVs. Anyone can blast out 500 identical press releases. What happens when an AI can do it faster and cheaper?
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What Actually Matters in 2026
The PR professionals thriving in today's landscape are those who can:
- Blend strategic thinking with genuine creativity (the kind AI still struggles with)
- Navigate volatile news cycles and crisis scenarios
- Leverage PR intelligence tools while maintaining critical thinking
- Translate communication objectives into business outcomes
- Build genuine media relationships beyond the inbox
Put simply, you need people who think, not just do.
The New PR Talent Assessment Framework
1. Crisis Simulation Testing
I've implemented this with three agencies now, and it's wildly revealing. Present candidates with a simulated PR crisis - data breach, executive scandal, product recall - and watch how they respond in real time.
Don't just focus on their response plan. Notice their thought process, what questions they ask, how they balance speed with accuracy, and whether they prioritise business continuity alongside reputation management.
The pandemic-era pivot followed by the deep-fake explosion of last year has shown us that adaptability trumps rigid playbooks every time.
2. Strategic Outcome Mapping
Ask candidates to map how PR objectives connect to specific business outcomes. The mediocre ones talk about "raising awareness" and "increasing share of voice." The exceptional ones demonstrate how their strategies directly impact revenue, recruitment, investment, or market positioning.
This reveals whether someone sees PR as a tactical exercise or a strategic business function. The days of PR living in its own bubble, separate from business objectives, are long gone.
3. Media Relationship Quality
Rather than counting contacts, assess relationship depth. Have candidates describe their three strongest media relationships and how they've nurtured them. What stories have they placed because of these relationships? What insider insights have they gained?
In a world where journalists receive hundreds of pitches daily, relationships are the differentiator. I recently worked with a candidate who maintained contact with a key health reporter through three publication changes - that's gold in today's fragmented media landscape.
4. AI-Enhanced Media Intelligence
PR pros who can't effectively use the new generation of AI-powered media intelligence tools are already dinosaurs. But equally dangerous are those who rely on them blindly.
Test candidates on how they integrate tools like real-time sentiment analysis and predictive coverage mapping while maintaining critical judgment. Ask for examples where they've questioned AI recommendations based on human insight.
The top PR talent augments their expertise with technology rather than surrendering to it.
Red Flags That Should Send You Running
Be wary of candidates who:
- Still lead with outdated metrics like AVE or impressions
- Can't articulate how their PR strategies impacted business objectives
- Have a contact list a mile long but no actual relationships
- Present case studies focused solely on outputs (coverage) rather than outcomes (behaviour change)
- Haven't adapted their approach since the Technology Regulation Act reshaped digital communications
I watched a brilliant candidate get rejected last month because her campaign results didn't include AVE figures. The hiring manager completely missed that she'd directly influenced policy change through strategic media relations. Their loss.
The Reality Check for Recruiters
The PR industry faces an existential challenge. With generative AI handling basic media relations and content creation, PR professionals must evolve or become obsolete.
When hiring, you're not just filling today's role but betting on someone who can adapt to whatever comes next. This means looking beyond the comfortable metrics of yesterday and assessing candidates on the skills that machines can't easily replicate: strategic thinking, relationship building, creativity under pressure, and business acumen.
While The OHub's PR recruitment platform can help you find candidates with these next-generation skills, the assessment framework still needs your human judgment.
The PR measurement debate has raged for decades, but one thing is clear: if your hiring criteria still revolve around clippings and column inches in 2026, you're selecting for a job that no longer exists.
Instead, find me people who can think their way through complexity, build genuine connections, and translate communication into business impact. Those are the PR professionals who will thrive when the next industry earthquake hits - and trust me, it's coming sooner than you think.
Sophie Chen is a PR strategist and industry commentator with 12+ years of experience leading consumer campaigns for London's top agencies. Her controversial take on the PR skills gap was widely debated at last month's PR Week Summit.
